Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2023

Notes:
The Kautilya Economic Conclave – 2023, hosted by the Institute of Economic Growth in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, took place in New Delhi.
The Inaugural Plenary session on ‘Navigating a World on Fire’ was addressed by Union Finance Minister.

Notes:
The ‘Arattu’ festival has a rich tradition of being celebrated at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
The uniqueness of the ‘Arattu’ festival is that the head of the royal family of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom still escorts the idols of deities during the procession in traditional attire. The Aarattu Festival is celebrated twice each year.

Notes:
The State festival of Telangana, known as ‘Batukamma’ (flower-festival) was observed in several villages located along the Andhra Pradesh border.
Every year this festival is celebrated as per the Sathavahana calendar for nine days. People illuminate their homes and adorned them with flowers and rangolis, celebrating the festival in a traditional and festive manner.

Notes:
Competition Commission of India (CCI) is a statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and is responsible for enforcing the Competition Act, 2002.
Recently, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has earned a coveted position within the prestigious 18-member steering committee of the International Competition Network (ICN). The steering committee serves as the highest governing body of the ICN.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on Japan-India Semiconductor Supply Chain Partnership.
The MoC intends to strengthen cooperation between India and Japan towards enhancement of semiconductor supply chain, recognizing the importance of semiconductor for the advancement of industries and digital technologies.

Notes:
Recently, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) established a committee with the purpose of simplifying the language used in insurance policies.
This initiative aims to assist individuals in making informed decisions when purchasing insurance coverage. The committee consists of eight members and has been tasked with presenting its recommendations within 8-10 weeks.

Notes:
Recently, Australia’s primary electricity grid surpassed a 70% share of renewable energy for the first time.
Australia holds a global leadership position in renewable electricity production and boasts the highest per capita adoption of rooftop solar systems worldwide.

Notes:
Scientists have successfully determined the cause behind the dimming of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse between 2018 and 2020.
This discovery has refuted previous theories suggesting that the star might be approaching its final stage of evolution, leading to a supernova or a massive explosion. Instead, the dimming phenomenon was attributed to a burst of dust on the surface of the star.

Notes:
The Malvinoxhosan biota, an ancient group of aquatic creatures, is thought to have vanished from Gondwana over a span of five million years.
A recent study suggests that climate change played a significant role in their extinction. According to the study, a substantial drop in sea levels caused by climate change resulted in the disappearance of this group of marine animals.

Notes:
Indian Army and Indian Air Force contingent comprising 120 personnel departed for Kazakhstan to take part in the 7th edition of Joint Military ‘Exercise KAZIND-2023’. at Otar in Kazakhstan.
The Joint Exercise between India and Kazakhstan was instituted as ‘Exercise PRABAL DOSTYK’ in 2016. After the second edition, it was upgraded to a company-level exercise as ‘Exercise KAZIND’. The Exercise has been further upgraded as a Bi-service Exercise this year by including the Air Force component.